Method of dispensing metered portions of molten lead

ABSTRACT

A method of dispensing metered portions of molten lead comprises the steps of providing a heater body with a lead reservoir that produces sufficient heat to form molten lead and providing a lead dispensing shuttle plate with at least two lead metered cavities that are filled with molten lead in a fill position. The heater body is movable between a dispense position and a feed position. At least one of the metered cavities releases the molten lead when the heater body is moved to the dispense position. In one aspect, the method comprises supplying a strip of lead so that when the heater body moves to the feed position, it receives a portion of the strip of lead. In another aspect, the method comprises injecting inert gas over the lead reservoir and into the dispensing metered cavity to prevent air from entering the metered cavity.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a Division of U.S. patent application Ser. No.09/862,792, filed on May 22, 2001, the entire text of which is herebyincorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to assembling lead acidbatteries and more specifically to a battery assembling method whichproduces lead acid batteries which have many improvements over the priorart.

2. Discussion of the Prior Art

A present problem of lead acid battery manufacture is the rapidoxidation of molten lead which is exposed to the atmosphere when it isheated above the 625 degrees Fahrenheit melting point. The problem isgreatly compounded when molten lead exposed to the atmosphere is furtherheated to nearly 1000 degrees Fahrenheit. Plate lugs of the batterycells enter such dispensed high temperature molten lead and fuse withit, the lugs further act as heat sinks for cooling the dispensed lead.At such elevated temperatures substantial drossing can occur which iswasteful, expensive, abrasive, clogging and toxic.

Accordingly, there is a clearly felt need in the art for a batteryassembling machine which does not expose molten lead to the atmosphere,thus preventing drossing of the molten lead.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide abattery assembling method which reduces the amount of equipment andmanpower required.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a batteryassembling method which is rapid, efficient and relatively inexpensive.

It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a batteryassembling method which seals, but does not expose molten lead to theatmosphere, thus preventing drossing of the molten lead.

It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a batteryassembling method which does not require venting of an open lead pot.

It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a batteryassembling method which does not require lead to be pumped and a pumpingdevice to be maintained.

Finally, it is another object of the present invention to provide abattery assembling method which does not require a large quantity oflead to be maintained at a molten temperature with the associated energycosts.

These and additional objects, advantages, features and benefits of thepresent invention will become apparent from the following specification.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a battery assembling method which is moreefficient than that of the prior art. The battery assembling methodincludes a lead dispenser/heater unit, cover positioner, containerpositioner, and lead feeder. A battery container with battery platescontained therein is initially retained by a horizontal containerpositioner.

Lug preparation is not required when utilizing some types of leadalloys. If needed, the lug preparation area includes at least oneheating station. The lug preparation area may also include at least onefluxing station, and at least one tinning station. The inclusion of thefluxing and tinning stations is dependent upon the condition of theplate lugs of the battery, before insertion into the battery assemblingdevice. The lug preparation area disclosed in this application is givenby way of example and not by way of limitation. A lug preparation areamay include any combination or order of the above disclosed stations.

The horizontal container positioner indexes the battery container overthe lug heating station and the lugs of the battery plates are heatedbefore fluxing. The horizontal container positioner then indexes thebattery container over the fluxing station and flux is applied to thelugs of the battery plates. The horizontal container positioner nextindexes the battery container over the tinning station and the lugs aretinned with solder.

The horizontal container positioner finally indexes the batterycontainer over the lead dispenser/heater unit. The container positionergrips the battery container and the horizontal container positionerreleases its grip on the battery container. The lead dispenser/heaterunit includes a container heating platen, a cover heating platen, aheater body, a lead dispensing shuttle plate, a lead reservoir and aninert gas cavity. The container heating platen is disposed on a top ofthe heater body and the cover heating platen is disposed on a bottomthereof. The lead reservoir is disposed in a top of the heater body. Astrip opening is formed in a lead reservoir cover plate which isattached to a top of the heater body above the lead reservoir. The inertgas cavity is disposed above the lead reservoir. The inert gas cavity isfilled with inert gas from a supply tank. The inert gas displaces andprevents regular air from entering the lead reservoir and drossing themolten lead.

The lead dispensing shuttle plate is disposed in a middle of the heaterbody. The lead dispensing shuttle plate includes at least two leadmetered cavities for dispensing molten lead which forms plate straps andterminals in the battery cover. The lead dispensing shuttle plate has afill position for retaining molten lead and a dispense position fordispensing molten lead into the battery cover.

The container positioner lowers the battery container such that an edgeof an open end thereof contacts a container heating platen and the coverpositioner raises the battery cover such that an edge of an open endcontacts the cover heating platen. The lead dispensing shuttle plate isslid into a dispense position to direct molten lead into plate strapmold wells in the battery cover and into terminal molds to form platestraps and terminals. A dispenser actuator pulls the leaddispenser/heating unit back such that the strip opening aligns with alead strip of the lead feeder. The lead that was dispensed for previousbattery is replaced with new lead from the lead feeder.

As the dispenser actuator pulls the combination lead dispenser/heatingunit, the container positioner is lowered and the cover positionerraised such that the edge of the open end of the battery container isattached to the edge of the open end of the battery cover. The containerand cover heating platens heat the open end of the container and theopen end of the cover such that the cover may be sealed to thecontainer. Once the lead in plate straps and terminals solidify, thebattery is grasped by a conveyer gripper and aligned with a conveyor bya conveyer actuator. A vertical conveyer actuator is raised to meet thebattery. The conveyer gripper is released and the conveyer transportsthe completed battery to an external location. The battery assemblingmethod is capable of producing batteries disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos.5,885,731 and 6,059,848.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view of a battery assembling method with twobatteries at different positions of the process in accordance with thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross sectional view of a lead dispenser/heaterunit in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of a battery assembling method wherecover and container positioners have brought a second battery cover andcontainer in contact with a lead dispenser/heater unit in accordancewith the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of a battery assembling method whereterminal molds have been brought in contact with a second battery coverin accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of a battery assembling method showinga first battery container indexed over a fluxing station; and a shuttleplate slid to a dispense position in accordance with the presentinvention.

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of a battery assembling method showingplate lugs of a first battery container being fluxed; plate strap andterminal molds of a second battery cover being filled with molten leadin accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view of a battery assembling method showingplate lugs of a first battery container after fluxing; plate strap andterminal molds of a second battery cover filled with molten lead inaccordance with the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view of a battery assembling method showinga first battery container indexed over a tinning station; battery coverand container positioners bringing a second battery cover and containeraway from a lead dispenser/heater unit in accordance with the presentinvention.

FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view of a battery assembling method showingplate lugs of a first battery container being tinned; a lead dispenserheater unit withdrawn such that thereof is replenished with lead inaccordance with the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a cross sectional view of a battery assembling method showinga second battery cover being heat sealed to a second battery containerin accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a cross sectional view of a battery assembling method showingplate lugs of a first battery container removed from a tinning station;a cover positioner withdrawing from under a second battery container inaccordance with the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a cross sectional view of a battery assembling method showinga first battery container grasped by a container positioner; a secondassembled battery grasped by a conveyer gripper and aligned with aconveyor in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a cross sectional view of a battery assembling method showinga movable conveyor section raised to meet a second assembled battery; alead dispenser/heater unit positioned to receive a new second batterycontainer in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a cross sectional view of a battery assembling method showinga new first battery indexed over a heating station; a new second batterycontainer loaded into a container positioner in accordance with thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference now to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1, there isshown a cross sectional view of a battery assembling method. Withreference to FIGS. 2-14, the battery assembling method includes a leaddispenser/heater unit 12, cover positioner 14, container positioner 16,and lead feeder 18. A first battery container 200 with battery plates202 contained therein is retained by a horizontal container positioner20. The horizontal container positioner 20 includes a horizontalcontainer actuator 21 and gripper fingers 23. The above items arepreferably retained in some type of frame 22.

A lug preparation area 10 is not required when utilizing some types oflead alloys. If needed, the lug preparation area includes at least oneheating station 24. The at least one heating station 24 preferablyincludes a heating actuation device 26, a mounting plate 28, and atleast one heating element 30. Preferably, an inductive heating elementis used, but other types of heating devices may also be used. The lugpreparation area 10 may also include at least one fluxing station, andat least one tinning station. The inclusion of the fluxing and tinningstations is dependent upon the condition of the plate lugs of thebattery and the lead alloy used in the battery, before insertion intothe battery assembling device 1.

The lug preparation area 10 disclosed in this application is given byway of example and not by way of limitation. A lug preparation area mayinclude any combination or order of the above disclosed stations. Asdisclosed by example in this application, a lug actuator 32 is used toprovide vertical movement to a lug plate 34. A fluxing pan 36 isattached to a top of the lug plate 34 and contains a quantity of flux204. A tinning pan 38 is attached to a top of the lug plate 34 andcontains a quantity of molten solder 206. At least one heater element 40is used to maintain the solder at a molten temperature. The containerpositioner 16 includes a container actuator 17 and container grippingfingers 19 which are attached to a moving end of the container actuator17.

With reference to FIG. 2, the lead dispenser/heater unit 12 includes aheater body 42, a container heating platen 44, a cover heating platen46, a lead dispensing shuttle plate 48, and a dispenser actuator 50. Thecontainer heating platen 44 is attached to a top of the heater body 42with a cover insulator 52 inserted therebetween. The lead dispensingshuttle plate 48 preferably includes a top plate 49 and a bottom plate51. At least two lead entrance openings 53 are formed through the topplate 49. At least two lead metered cavities 55 are formed in the leaddispensing shuttle plate 48 in line with the at least two lead entranceopenings 53. A lead exit opening 57 is formed through a bottom of eachlead metered cavity 55. A shuttle slot 54 is formed in a bottom of theheater body 42. The shuttle slot 54 is sized to slidably receive thelead dispensing shuttle plate 48.

A shuttle retention plate 56 retains the lead dispensing shuttle plate48 under spring force. At least two spring loaded bolts 58 force a topof the shuttle retention plate 56 against a bottom of the leaddispensing shuttle plate 48 and a top of the lead dispensing shuttleplate 48 against a top of the shuttle slot 54. The force fit between thetop and bottom of the lead dispensing shuttle plate 48 is required toprevent molten lead from leaving the lead metered cavities 55 andsmearing on the top or bottom of the lead dispensing shuttle plate 48.The cover heating platen 46 is attached to a bottom of the shuttleretention plate 56 with a container insulator 60 inserted therebetween.The container and cover insulators allow the container and cover heatingplatens to be maintained at a different temperature than the heater body42.

A lead reservoir cover plate 62 covers a top of a lead reservoir 64formed in a top of the heater body 42. A lead strip opening 66 is formedthrough the lead reservoir cover plate 62, adjacent the lead reservoir64. A lead passage 65 is formed adjacent the lead reservoir 64. At leastone lead cross passage 67 is formed adjacent the lead passage 65. Atleast two lead feed openings 69 are supplied with molten lead 210 fromthe lead passage 65 or at least one lead cross passage 67. An inert gasreservoir passage 68 is formed over the lead reservoir 64. The inert gasreservoir passage 68 receives inert gas through an inlet pipe 70. Aninert gas tank 72 supplies the inert gas 208. The inert gas 208 preventsdrossing of the molten lead 210 in the lead reservoir 64. An inert gaspassage 71 is formed in a bottom of the container heater platen 44. Atleast two inert gas passage openings 74 are formed through the containerinsulator 52 and the heater body 42. A shuttle actuator 76 is used toslide the lead dispensing shuttle plate 48 from a fill position to adispensing position. An end of the shuttle plate 48 is attached to amoving end of the shuttle actuator 76.

At least two lead dispense openings 78 are formed through the shuttleretention plate 56, container insulator 60, and cover heating platen 46in line with the at least two lead metered cavities 55 when in adispense position. Preferably, a lead dispense bushing 80 is formedpartially through the shuttle retention plate 56, and through thecontainer insulator 60, and cover heating platen 46. When the leaddispensing shuttle plate 48 is in a dispense position inert gas flowsbehind the molten lead 210 through the lead dispense openings 78.

The inert gas 208 prevents air from entering through the at least twolead dispense openings 78 until the lead dispensing shuttle plate 48 ismoved to a fill position. The inert gas 208 bubbles through the moltenlead 210 to the inert gas reservoir passage 68 as the at least two leadmetered cavities 55 are filled with molten lead 210. If air were allowedto fill the at least two lead metered cavities 78, the air would drossthe molten lead 210.

At least two container heaters 82 are formed in the container heatingplaten 44. At least two cover heaters 84 are formed in the cover heatingplaten 46. At least two retainer heaters 86 are formed in the shuttleretention plate 56. At least two body heaters 88 are formed in theheater body 42. A plurality of lug clearance openings 90 are formed in atop of the container heating platen 44.

With reference to FIG. 1, the cover positioner 14 includes a cover base92, a cover actuator 93, a mold actuator 94, and at least two terminalmolds 96. A bottom of the cover base 92 is attached to a moving end ofthe cover actuator 93. The cover actuator 93 provides vertical motion tothe cover base 92. A cover cavity 98 is formed on a top of the coverbase 92 to receive the battery cover 212.

A retainer plate 100 is attached to a moving end of the mold actuator94. Terminal cavity 102 is formed in a top of each terminal mold 96.Each terminal mold 96 is slidably retained on a slide rod 106 and urgedupward with a spring 104. The retainer plate 100 restricts the upwardmovement of the terminal mold 96. At least one liquid coolant path 108and at least one mold heater 109 are formed in the body of each terminalmold 96.

Gripper fingers 110 extend from a moving end of a conveyor actuator 112.A battery conveyor 114 includes a vertical conveyor actuator 116,stationary conveyor base 118, moveable conveyor section 120, and acoolant spray 122. The moveable conveyor section 120 is attached to amoving end of the vertical conveyor actuator 116. The coolant spray 122is attached to a bottom of the moveable conveyor section 120.

The battery assembling method preferably operates in the followingmanner. With reference to FIG. 1, if the lug preparation area 10 isrequired, the horizontal container positioner 20 indexes the batterycontainer 200 over the lug heating station 24 and the lugs 209 of thebattery plates 202 are heated before fluxing by the at least one heatingelement 30. With reference to FIG. 5, the horizontal containerpositioner 20 then indexes the battery container 200 over the fluxingpan 36. With reference to FIG. 6, the lug actuator 32 raises the fluxingpan 36 to coat the lugs 209 with flux 204. With reference to FIGS. 7 and8, the lug actuator 32 lowers the fluxing pan 36 so that the horizontalcontainer positioner 20 may index the battery container 200 over thetinning pan 38. With reference to FIG. 9, the lug actuator 32 raises thetinning pan 38 to tin the lugs 209 with solder 206. With reference toFIGS. 11 and 12, the lug actuator 32 lowers the tinning pan 38 and thehorizontal container positioner 20 indexes the battery container 200over the lead dispenser/heater unit 12.

The container gripping fingers 19 grasp the battery container 200 andthen the gripping fingers 23 release thereof. With reference to FIG. 3,the container actuator 17 lowers the battery container 200 such that anedge of an open end thereof contacts a heating surface 45 of thecontainer heating platen 44. The cover actuator 93 raises the batterycover 212 such that an edge of an open end contacts the heating surface47 of the cover heating platen 46. With reference to FIG. 4, the moldactuator 94 raises the retainer plate 100 such that the at least twoterminal molds 96 rise to contact terminal openings in the battery cover212. Each terminal mold 96 is heated with the heater 109. With referenceto FIG. 5, the lead dispensing shuttle plate 48 is slid into a dispenseposition by the shuttle actuator 76. The molten lead 210 descendsthrough the lead exit openings 57, the openings in the shuttle retainingplate 56, and the lead bushings 80. The molten lead drops into platestrap mold wells in the battery cover 212 and the terminal molds 96 formplate straps and terminals.

After the molten lead has filled the plate strap mold wells and terminalmolds 96, the shuttle actuator 76 pulls the dispensing shuttle plate 48back to the fill position. With reference to FIG. 9, the dispenseractuator 50 pulls the lead dispenser/heater unit 12 back such that thestrip opening 66 aligns with a lead strip 124 of the lead feeder 18. Thelead 210 that was dispensed for previous battery is replaced with newlead from the lead feeder 18. With reference to FIG. 8, the batterycontainer 201 is raised and the battery cover 212 lowered and the leaddispenser/heater unit 12 pulled toward the lead feeder 18.

With reference to FIG. 10, after the lead dispenser/heater unit 12 iscleared away, the battery container 201 is lowered and the battery cover212 raised such that the edge of the open end of the battery container201 is attached to the edge of the open end of the battery cover 212.The container and cover edge heating platens heat the open ends of thebattery container and cover such that the battery cover 212 may besealed to the battery container 201. The at least two plate straps andterminals are substantially simultaneously cast as the battery cover issealed to the battery container.

The mold heater 109 is turned-off and coolant is run through the atleast one coolant path 108. With reference to FIG. 13, once the lead inplate straps and terminals solidify, the assembled battery 214 isgrasped by the conveyer gripper 110 and aligned with the conveyor 114 bya conveyer actuator 112. The moveable conveyor section 120 is raised bythe vertical conveyer actuator 116 to meet the assembled battery 214.The assembled battery 214 is sprayed with coolant 123 from a coolantspray device 122. With reference to FIG. 14, the conveyer gripper 110 isreleased and the moveable conveyor section 120 lowers the assembledbattery 214 even with the stationary conveyor base 118. The conveyer 114transports the assembled battery 214 to an external location where theassembled battery 214 is ready to be filled with electrolyte.

While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown anddescribed, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changesand modifications may be made without departing from the invention inits broader aspects, and therefore, the aim in the appended claims is tocover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spiritand scope of the invention.

1. A method of dispensing metered portions of molten lead comprising thesteps of: supplying a strip of lead; providing a heater body having alead reservoir formed therein, said heater body providing sufficientheat to form molten lead; providing a lead dispensing shuttle platehaving at least two lead metered cavities, said at least two meteredcavities being filled with molten lead in a fill position, said at leastone metered cavity releasing the molten lead in a dispense position; andmoving said heater body from a lead dispensing position to releasemetered portions of molten lead to a feed position to receive a portionof said strip of lead.
 2. The method of dispensing metered portions ofmolten lead of claim 1, further comprising the step of: covering exposedareas of molten lead with an inert gas within said heater body.
 3. Themethod of dispensing metered portions of molten lead of claim 1, furthercomprising: heating the plate lugs of the battery plates with a heatingstation before insertion into molten plate straps.
 4. The method ofdispensing metered portions of molten lead of claim 1, furthercomprising: a container heating platen being disposed on a top of saidheater body, a cover heating platen being disposed on a bottom of saidheater body, said container heating platen heating an open end of thebattery container, said cover heating platen heating an open end of thebattery cover.
 5. The method of dispensing metered portions of moltenlead of claim 4, further comprising: a container insulator beingdisposed between said heater body and said container heating platen, acover insulator being disposed between said heater body and said coverheating platen, a plurality of heater elements being disposed in saidheater body, container heating platen, and cover heating platen.
 6. Themethod of dispensing metered portions of molten lead of claim 4, furthercomprising the step of: joining the open end of the battery containerwith the open end of the battery cover.
 7. A method of dispensingmetered portions of molten lead comprising the steps of: providing aheater body having a lead reservoir formed therein, said heater bodyproviding sufficient heat to form molten lead; providing a leaddispensing shuttle plate having at least one lead metered cavity, saidat least one metered cavity being filled with molten lead in a fillposition, said at least one metered cavity releasing the molten lead ina dispense position; and injecting inert gas over a top of said leadreservoir, forcing inert gas into said at least one metered cavity, themolten lead being dispensed through said at least one metered cavity andat least one lead dispense opening disposed below said at least onemetered cavity, said inert gas preventing air from entering said atleast one lead metered cavity.
 8. The method of dispensing meteredportions of molten lead of claim 7, further comprising the step of:moving said heater body from a lead dispensing position to release atleast one metered portion of molten lead to a feed position to receive asupply of lead.
 9. The method of dispensing metered portions of moltenlead of claim 7, further comprising the step of: heating the plate lugsof the battery plates with a heating station before insertion intomolten plate straps.
 10. The method of dispensing metered portions ofmolten lead of claim 7, further comprising: a container heating platenbeing disposed on a top of said heater body, a cover heating platenbeing disposed on a bottom of said heater body, said container heatingplaten heating an open end of the battery container, said cover heatingplaten heating an open end of the battery cover.
 11. The method ofdispensing metered portions of molten lead of claim 10, furthercomprising: a container insulator being disposed between said heaterbody and said container heating platen, a cover insulator being disposedbetween said heater body and said cover heating platen, a plurality ofheater elements being disposed in said heater body, container heatingplaten, and cover heating platen.
 12. The method of dispensing meteredportions of molten lead of claim 10, further comprising the step of:joining the open end of the battery container with the open end of thebattery cover.